Season of the hairy fruit: Rambutan in abundance

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September 20, 2026 | 2:31pm

MANILA, Philippines — It is rambutan season in the Philippines! 

Rambutan’s main harvest season is from August to October. The red, hairy fruit that opens up to a translucent white flesh, which you bite off from a single big seed, is in great abundance at this time of the year and therefore sells at an affordable price.

You know it is in season when you see rambutan being sold in markets and supermarkets, offered by neighborhood online sellers for free delivery, and peddled by street vendors everywhere possible.

Some varieties give you a bit of work, as part of the hard covering of the seed tends to stick to the flesh and come off with it when you take a bite, but tuklapin varieties, where the sweet flesh easily separates from the seed, are now available for easy and effortless consumption.

Major harvests of rambutan during this peak season come from Southern Luzon, including Batangas and Laguna, as well as from Mindanao, Mindoro, and Palawan. A fruit native to Southeast Asia, it got its name from the Malay word that means hair because of its appearance. Its look and taste reminds you of the lychee fruit, and rightly so because they are relatives. It is also related to the fruit longan.

Rambutan offers many health benefits, so it should be a light and healthy fruit to indulge in. Rich in vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds, it is a good source of Vitamin C, which helps the body absorb dietary iron. It also serves as an antioxidant, thus protecting the body against free radicals, and its copper content assists in the proper growth and maintenance of heart, bone, and brain cells.

The fruit also contains potassium, calcium, carbohydrates, protein, and iron. It comes with a good amount of fiber, which helps promote good digestion and address the problem of constipation.

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